There is less and less left until the start of the America’s Cup in the United States. On June 20, the Argentine team, the last champion of the competition, will open the competition against Canada.
Looking ahead to this tournament, Conmebol announced a regulatory change that will be applied for the first time in this edition of the cup. In line with the main competitions worldwide, the mother company of South American football introduces the modality of substitution for “suspected head trauma and concussion”, granting each team an extra substitution if necessary.
That is, in the event of a game action “that includes a strong blow to the footballer’s head” and his integrity is compromised to carry out the match, the medical staff may request a replacement from the substitute bench and there will be six substitutions allowed by the regulations.
The possibility began to be seen in competitions starting with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and continued to be implemented, especially in tournaments organized by FIFA, although the confusion caused by the fact that an extra modification arose without the relevant explanation of the cause to the spectators in the stadium gave way to the design of a protocol, which in the Copa América will include the participation of a special card. In addition to the well-known yellow and red, the pink one will take to the field.
To request a change due to suspected head trauma and concussion, both the main referee and the fourth judge may be informed by the medical staff by means of a pink card.
“When a concussion substitution is used, the opposing team will automatically have the possibility of making an additional substitution”, It is another step to follow, so that none of the contenders has an advantage.
The complete rule
“Article 96 – Substitution in the event of suspected head trauma and concussion:
I. Up to 1 (one) substitution per team per match may be made in the event of suspicion of craniocerebral trauma and concussion, being independent of the 5 (five) substitutions mentioned in this Regulation in the preceding article (in case of extension, six substitutions ). Substitution due to concussion may be carried out regardless of the number of substitutions made up to the moment it occurs.
II. If the team decides to carry out the substitution due to concussion, the main referee or the fourth official will be informed. For this substitution, a pink card will be used, different from the other replacement cards.
III. However, if a normal substitution is made at the same time as a concussion substitution, one substitution opportunity will be deducted. When a team has used all regular substitution opportunities, it may not use a concussion substitution to make a regular substitution.
IV. When a concussion substitution is used, the opposing team will automatically have the possibility of making an additional substitution. The main referee or the fourth referee will inform the opposing team that, from that moment on, they have the option of using an additional substitute and an additional substitution opportunity, which can be carried out simultaneously or after the substitution due to concussion. cerebral that the opposing team has made. This additional opportunity can only be used for an additional substitution, not for regular substitutions.
V. A player who suffers a concussion or is suspected of having suffered one will not be able to return to the game or participate in the penalty shoot-out and, whenever possible, will be accompanied to the locker room or a medical center.
SAW. Once the match has ended (with a maximum period of 24 hours after its end), it will be mandatory for the team doctor who has detected this suspicion on the field of play and whether or not he has substituted the player, to send the SCAT5 form (standardized tool for evaluating concussions). brain), complete and signed by the same, to the CONMEBOL medical commission, through the following e-mail: [email protected].
